After an overnight flight from the US, we arrived in London to experience the magic of the Olympic Games.

Having been to the 1996 Atlanta Games, I think I was mentally prepared for a semi-repeat of that experience. I was just a teenager in 1996, but I distinctly remember the heat and the crowds. However, London is dramatically different; it is almost chilly here, and while there are many people around, the city seems quite able to handle the crowds. I was shocked when we breezed through London’s Heathrow Airport in a matter of mere minutes.

Summer Hull of the blog Mommy Points shows us how to take advantage of travel rewards points and miles to make the most of our vacation dollars with her new Travel Channel web series. By breaking down the often-complicated frequent-flyer programs out there, Summer makes it easy for anyone to redeem miles and points in exchange for memorable family vacations.

We spend time trolling the travel blogosphere so you don’t have to! Well, not trolling … more like, blissfully absorbing. Anyway, turns out the Olympics is on everyone’s minds — as it will be for the next couple of months — and we found tips on eking as much enjoyment as possible out of the remaining summer days. Check out what we found on Travel Channel’s blogroll.